Page 9 of B.D.E: Falling Hard For A BBW

Ivy

The bell over the front door jingled as I unlocked it and flipped the sign to OPEN.

Sunlight poured through the bookstore, casting golden streaks across the polished hardwood floors that I’d got down on my hands and knees and cleaned just last week.

Money was tight so I couldn’t afford the luxury of hire people to clean up and polish the floors, I made it work though.

The fresh scent of cinnamon banana bread and lemon scones drifted from the bakery counter, warm and inviting but my mind was somehow still upstairs.

Still in the bathroom and my bedroom… Ghost. Ghost was a name that you gave someone when you didn’t want your real identity to be known.

That piqued my interest even more, but I knew better than to try digging into somebody that was clearly dangerous.

I grabbed my apron and tied it around me before smoothing the front of it as I tried to gather myself and prepare for the morning rush.

The early hustle and bustle of the town hadn’t quite kicked in yet, but I knew once it did, things would get hectic.

I paced behind the register, checking things that didn’t need checking.

Every day was the same routine, but my head was so full of chaos, I needed something, anything to keep my hands busy.

The sharp ring of the bell above the door made me jump.

“Morning, Ivy,” Ms. Lorette called out. She was always the first customer when I opened up.

“Morning,” I said with a bright smile that barely made it past my cheeks. “I’ve got your coffee and banana nut muffin coming right up.”

She walked to the corner near the window and took a seat, like she always did, pulling her romance paperback from her tote.

I made her coffee and slid her muffin onto the plate, moving like a robot.

Every step, every blink, and every polite smile felt like I was pretending at this point.

I had no clue how I would make it through the day and focus but the bills had to be paid so I pushed him to the back of my mind the best I could and got ready for the morning rush.

The morning passed in a blur of latte foam and small talk, but my brain refused to stay downstairs.

It kept drifting back to Ghost. I was behind the counter refilling the pastry case since the morning rush had left it empty.

My book café was the only one in town which was a blessing and a curse because it kept me busy, sometimes too busy and I was the only one prepping, baking and selling.

This was the main reason I had no time for a real life outside of here.

I was hoping to hire someone part time to help prep in the early mornings soon but hadn’t actually gotten around to post the hiring ad.

Since, id opened up, it had always been me managing and working alone so the thought of letting someone else in my space worried me.

Would they know how to prep and bake the delicious treats that my customers loved.

Would they know a romance novel from a suspense?

Would they even be a book lover? There were more questions than answers when it came to hiring help around here, so I did as I always do and pushed it to the back of my mind, promising to revisit it again sometime soon.

The bell sounded off again just as I’d finished restocking the last batch of blackberry lemon poppy seed muffins.

“Mmm… Ivy, you must really be tired,” that familiar voice spoke out, causing me to roll my eyes before turning to face him.

“Tired from running through your mind right, Jesse?” I snorted.

“Alright, alright. You got me, Ivy Monroe.” Jesse chuckled as he walked towards the pastry case, eyeing the muffins I’d just finish restocking.

“Mhmm,” I muttered, clearly over his daily shenanigans. “Your usual right?”

He nodded, leaning on the counter as he watched me fix his coffee and muffins.

“So, how are you doing today, Ivy?” He said, attempting to make the usual small talk after I’d shut him down with the flirting. It was harmless, but I didn’t understand why he continued to try it every day since it never went anywhere.

“I’m fine, Jesse. Same ole, same ole, you know?”

“Yea… I can see just how fine you are,” he mumbled just above a whisper. I slightly turned my head just in time to see him staring at my ass. He was damn near drooling on the counter with his mouth ajar.

“Ahem.” Jesse quickly looked up at me like a deer caught in headlights.

“I know you like the view but if you gone drool all over my countertop, you might wanna keep your eyes on your coffee, not the curves.” I said over my shoulder as I put the lid on his cup.

Jesse chuckled. “Can’t help it, Ivy. Seeing you is like my daily shot of dopamine.”

I rolled my eyes as I sat the cup of coffee down in front of him.

“Look at her again like that and you gone catch a shot of lead to yo’ chest nigga,” Ghost voice cut through out of nowhere. I whipped around and caught sight of him standing in the corner over by the shelf of thriller novels.

How long has he been standing there?

Jesse’s grin vanished and I watched him swallow hard, fumbling for his words.

“I—Who are you?”

Ghost stepped out the shadows slowly as his eyes remained locked on Jesse.

“The last muthafucka you gon’ see if I catch you looking at anything other than her face,” his voice dropped lower. “And you don’t need to know my name, just know she ain’t yours to be looking at,” he said through gritted teeth.

Something about the way he said it made my skin prickle.

I should’ve been pissed at him for saying anything to Jesse because he was harmless and one of my best customers, but I wasn’t.

No one had ever stood up for me like that except for my father.

I could tell he really meant what he said to Jesse, and I was…

God help me, I was turned on. Jesse between me and Ghost like I was supposed to explain what the hell was going on, but I was too shocked to even form the words.

“Alright, damn,” Jesse uttered throwing his hands up. “I didn’t mean anything by it. My bad Ivy.”

He backed away and turned to leave while mumbling something under his breath that he dared not to say to Ghost’s face.

I stood still, in silence, staring at the man who scared me and thrilled me in the same breath.

Ghost didn’t look at me right away, just stared at the front door and Jesse had disappeared through as his jaw twitched.

After a few seconds of deadly silence, he turned his head and locked eyes with me.

“You just let muthafuckas come in here fucking with you like that, Specs? That nigga was undressing you with his beaty ass eyes.” The words weren’t loud, but they held weight, and I could hear the anger brewing in his voice.

“I can handle Jesse,” I said, quieter than I meant to. “He harmless,” I shrugged, reaching for the cleaning rag and pretending to wipe down the counter. Anything to keep my eyes off him right now.

He narrowed his eyes. “Nah,” he said, stepping forward. “That nigga don’t even know what you are. He think he got access to you because you allow him to come in here doing that shit.”

My breath got caught in my throat when he moved around the counter. He didn’t stop until he was standing close enough for me to smell his minty breath.

“What I am?” I echoed.

His eyes dropped to my mouth, then lower. He tilted his head like he was studying me.

“You’re pure as fuck and you beautiful Specs, and I don’t even think you realize how much sex appeal you got.

The kind that make dumb niggas like that think they can fuck with you,” he said, his voice low and deep, sending a tingling sensation past my stomach.

“But they don’t see what’s underneath all that shit. ”

“And you do?”

He stepped closer, leaving nothing but heat between us.

“I feel that shit.”

I didn’t know if I wanted to step back or lean in and taste his plump, sinful lips that looked way too damn good for my peace of mind. I had never kissed a man before, but in that moment, he made me want to break every rule I’d ever made. I wanted to suck on his lips and let him devour mine.

Shoot Ivy, get your head straight!

He raised his hand up as his fingers brushed a curl off my cheek. Then he dipped low and close to my ear.

“Next time a nigga try you like that, you better check they ass Specs, cause if you don’t I promise I will and that shit won’t be pretty. Your whole little bookstore will be decorated in their blood.”

He straightened as his eyes skimmed mine for a few seconds longer then, just like that, he walked away.

Back towards the stairs, back into the shadows like he hadn’t just turned my whole insides upside down.

I stood there, thinking about how I should’ve run behind him and cursed his ass out for messing with my customers and I planned on giving him a peace of my mind about it later.

BUZZ

I pulled my phone out of the apron pocket and saw that I had a message from Tori.

Tori: Bout to slide thru with those books I borrowed. You better have cinnamon rolls or I’m rioting!

Panic set in as I remember that nobody knew Ghost was here. I hadn’t told Tori anything and I wasn’t ready to yet. I said a quick prayer that Ghost wouldn’t make another off-the-wall appearance while she was here and then busied myself with tidying up the café to keep my anxiety from spiraling.

I had just finished going over the kitchen floor with the swifter, when I heard the bell above the door jingling again.

“Smells good as fuck in here friend,” came the loud, familiar voice I’d grown to love. “You got my cinnamon roll or nah?”

“Tori,” I sighed as I rounded the counter to greet my best friend.